X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

The Waiver Wire Watch List: All Star Break Prospect Edition

Bill Dubiel's list of fantasy baseball prospects to watch in the second half of the 2019 season. These are players to monitor and could be potential pickups off the waiver wire in deeper leagues.

At the unofficial halfway point of the season, we've got a chance to really dig in and find those second half superstars. Finding the next Luis Castillo can be the difference between a championship and an early exit from the playoffs, so it's important to keep building your watch list. Be ready to pounce before anyone else and you could be wearing the belt come October. For this particular Waiver Wire Watch List, we're going to focus on some prospects who have a great shot at not only getting called up, but making a legitimate fantasy impact once they do.

Throughout the season, you want to get the jump on your competition and sniff out the breakout players before they break out. That's what this list is all about--using some in-depth research and advanced analytics to find the players who aren't quite there yet but are on their way. Some of these may suit your needs for an immediate pick-up depending on your team's situation.

This is not necessarily a list of players you should add right away - it is a list of players to keep a very close eye on in most leagues as we further into July, and to consider picking up in deeper formats. In some cases, we will even caution you not to pick up a widely-added player, and steer you away from the fool's gold. Use it to build your own watch list.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Pitching Prospects to Watch in 12+ Team Leagues

A.J. Puk (SP, OAK)

This 24-year-old behemoth (6'7", 238 lbs) has been compared to one player more than any other--Randy Johnson. His sweeping lefty fastball in the high-90s has made him one of the more prolific strikeout artists in the minors, with an average K% over 30.

Puk was on the fast track to the big leagues as of 2018, but as is the case with many prospects, he was derailed by Tommy John surgery in April of that year. He's finally recovered and is currently pitching in AA in a relief role as he works his way back. Ideally, Puk would get stretched out enough to make an impact as a starter, but that seems unlikely to happen in 2019. With that said, he could be a valuable high-leverage reliever down the stretch for the A's, and it wouldn't be out of the question for him to get a spot-start or two in September in an effort to get him some major league experience. His call-up for 2019 isn't certain, but he's moving up the short list with every healthy outing. He should be on all dynasty radars and absolutely on your watch list even in season-long.

Dustin May (SP, LAD)

The Dodgers' top pitching prospect was promoted to AAA in late June, and given the bevy of injuries that their rotation has dealt with this season it's very possible he makes meaningful starts for the NL West leaders in 2019. May doesn't carry the elite strikeout potential that a prospect like Puk does, but he does miss plenty of bats with a hot sinker and a pair of effective off-speed pitches.

May's hype is predicated on the fact that he's fairly polished for a pitching prospect, and even more so when you consider that he's just 21 years old. Between all levels of the minors, he's typically posted a walk rate between 4.0 and 8.0, and has kept his SIERA under 4.00 more often than not. Don't be surprised to see May up in the Dodgers rotation for some spot starts or even an extended stay if they need the help to close out the season. Again, he should be rostered in all dynasty formats and firmly entrenched on your watch list in season-long.

Jesus Luzardo (SP, OAK)

I saved Luzardo for last because it seemed it was only a matter of time before he was called up to help the Athletics underwhelming starting rotation. He's pitched a grand total of 19.1 innings in the minors this year as he's dealt with a shoulder strain since March, and unfortunately he was diagnosed with a strained lat just last week. He's been shut down for at least a few weeks, putting his earliest return date in August.

Luzardo is the complete package as a pitching prospect. He's posted an average strikeout rate over 27.0, a walk rate that has never exceeded 9.1 at any level of the minors, and keeps hitters wildly off-balance with a potent combination of a high-90s fastball and a diving mid-80s changeup. He should be near the top of your watch list, as he can be a true impact arm should he reach the majors this year.

 

Position Prospects to Watch in 12+ Team Leagues

Bo Bichette (SS, TOR)

Bichette is one of the top hitting prospects in baseball, and he's proving it in 2019. He missed a healthy chunk of time with a hand injury this year, but in the 38 games he's played with AAA Buffalo he's posting an even .900 OPS.

While I would love to see Bichette work on his patience a little bit (8.4% walk rate in 2019), his .380 OBP is plenty good enough for him to take advantage on the basepaths. Across 131 games in AA last year, he swiped 32 bags while scoring 95 runs, and he certainly looks like the guy who will be setting the table for Vlad Guerrero, Jr. for the foreseeable future. I would consider Bichette a near-lock to see time with the Jays this year, and he can make an immediate fantasy impact when he does.

Luis Urias

Urias started the season with San Diego after establishing himself as an elite hitting prospect over the last few seasons in the minors. Unfortunately, he was demoted after just 11 games after hitting an unacceptable .083 in that time span. That seemed to knock a few cobwebs loose, as he's been utterly, utterly dominant in AAA since then. As of this writing, Urias has an OPS of an even 1.000 across 328 plate appearances with a stunning 17 homers (he's never hit more than eight in a season before) and seven stole bases.

Urias has nothing left to prove in the minors, and with Ian Kinsler playing downright poorly all year there is nothing truly blocking his path. Urias will be a staple in the Padres organization for years to come, and he's the closest on this list to getting called up. If you've got the space I would consider adding him now, but certainly put him on your watch list coming out of the break.

Isan Diaz (2B, MIA)

Diaz is an under-the-radar power prospect that (understandably) doesn't get a ton of attention due to the small market organization and his relative inconsistency. In 2019, Diaz has been giving the Marlins every reason to call him up, posting the best season by far since his second year of rookie ball. The 23-year-old already has 20 homers in just 83 games, and he's doing it while keeping his strikeout rate at its lowest since rookie ball. He's raised his batting average 85 points since his limited time in AAA last year, and he's walking more too.

It's the Marlins--there is nothing and nobody keeping Diaz down. It's only a matter of time before he gets called up this year, and with near-elite power potential he's an obvious watch list candidate.

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Max Muncy

Exits With Apparent Knee Injury
Christian Moore

Exits Early with Thumb Irritation
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Josh Naylor

Returning to Diamondbacks Lineup
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Oronde Gadsden

an Active Pass-Catcher This Offseason
Brashard Smith

Speed Could be Put to Use
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Pat Bryant

Off to a Good Start
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs With Islanders for Two Years
Cody Barton

Quickly Becoming a Leader With his New Team
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal With Mammoth
Montaric Brown

has Worked With Starters
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
DET

James van Riemsdyk Joins Red Wings on One-Year Contract
Viktor Arvidsson

Traded to Boston
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Josh Jung

Sent to Triple-A
Jurickson Profar

Officially Reinstated and Hitting in Five-Hole on Wednesday
Spencer Schwellenbach

Going on Injured List With Fractured Elbow
Maxwell Hairston

Facing Sexual-Assault Lawsuit
Tai Felton

Rookie Season Likely to be Spent on Special Teams
LeQuint Allen Jr.

to Have Receiving Role for Jaguars?
Justin Walley

Turning Heads Going into Rookie Season
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
Jamari Thrash

Establishing Himself as Reliable Option
Grayson Murphy

Could Provide Rotational Pass-Rush Depth
Joe Andreessen

in a Good Position to Compete for Backup Job
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Bhayshul Tuten

Needs to Improve Pass Protection
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Brandon Woodruff

Likely to Pitch on Sunday in Miami
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
PHI

Dan Vladar Links Up With Flyers on Two-Year Deal
EDM

Andrew Mangiapane Signs Two-Year Pact With Oilers
SEA

Ryan Lindgren Joins Kraken on Four-Year Contract
PHI

Christian Dvorak Heads to Philadelphia
Logan Stankoven

Signs Long-Term Extension with Hurricanes
NYI

Jonathan Drouin Joins Islanders on Two-Year Contract
NJ

Devils Hand Connor Brown a Four-Year Contract
SJ

John Klingberg Lands in San Jose
William Eklund

Signs Three-Year Extension with Sharks
Will Cuylle

Agrees to Two-Year Contract with Rangers
Zac Gallen

Fans 10 in Tuesday's Win
Hunter Goodman

Hits Two More Homers Tuesday
Josh Hader

Stays Perfect In Save Conversion On Tuesday
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Shane Baz

Fans 11 Against Athletics
Grant Holmes

Strikes Out 10 in Scoreless Outing
Jeff Green

Signs One-Year Deal to Remain in Houston
T.J. Watt

Trying to Become Highest-Paid Non-QB?
Willson Contreras

Doubtful for Wednesday
George Springer

Clubs Two Homers in Seven-RBI Day
Joshua Palmer

Could be a Sleeper
Los Angeles Lakers

Jake LaRavia Lands with Lakers
Laviska Shenault Jr.

on the Bubble
Orlando Magic

Tyus Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
Raheem Blackshear

to Work Mostly As Special-Teamer
Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney Heads to New Orleans
Rico Dowdle

Trevor Etienne to Split Carries?
Chuba Hubbard

Should See Majority of Touches in 2025
Milwaukee Bucks

Jericho Sims Staying in Milwaukee
Denver Nuggets

Tim Hardaway Jr. Joins Nuggets
Willson Contreras

Avoids Structural Damage on Hand After HBP
Detroit Pistons

Duncan Robinson Lands With Detroit
Charlotte Hornets

Tre Mann Remaining in Charlotte
Josh Naylor

Scratched From Tuesday's Lineup Against Giants
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
San Francisco Giants

Giants Exercise Bob Melvin's 2026 Option
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Josh Naylor

Back in Action on Tuesday
Yordan Alvarez

Suffers Setback
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Nolan Arenado

Dealing with Finger Sprain
Jacob Wilson

Scratched With Hamstring Soreness
Milwaukee Bucks

Gary Harris Inks Deal With Bucks
Charlotte Hornets

Mason Plumlee Heading Back to Charlotte
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Jakob Poeltl

Agrees to a Contract Extension With Raptors
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Vasilije Micić

Vasilije Micic Dealt to Bucks on Tuesday
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Pat Connaughton

Traded to Hornets
Atlanta Hawks

Luke Kennard Lands in Atlanta
Breece Hall

Aiming to Prove He is "Still One of the Best in the League"
T.J. Watt

Steelers Not Planning to Trade T.J. Watt
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF